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The geochemical analyses of coral cores provides a unique method to assess changes in the earth’s climate as well as well as how corals are impacted and recover from a variety of environmental stressors. My research looks at coral cores collected from around Onslow, WA, to understand how recent marine heat waves and dredging operations have impacted coral reefs in the region. Using a combination of methods: trace element and calcification analyses, and spatial mapping of high-resolution satellite records, my project hopes to identify the primary environmental drivers responsible for recent widespread declines in coral cover observed in the region and provide new insights into adaptive capacity of corals to survive in a changing world.